1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates to a diffusion pump.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
Conventional diffusion pumps comprise a boiling chamber in which a heating element is arranged. With the aid of the heating element a propellant is evaporated. A conventional diffusion pump comprises a housing immediately adjacent to the boiling chamber. In the housing a nozzle is arranged. The propellant vapor rises from the boiling chamber to the nozzle, is deflected by the nozzle to form an umbrella-shaped vapor stream and entrains diffusing gas molecules. Subsequently, the propellant vapor is condensed again by a condenser. The condensed propellant travels back to the boiling chamber. The entrained gas is pumped out by a vacuum pump connected to a forevacuum branch. With the aid of this process, gas is removed from a vacuum chamber such that a vacuum is produced in the vacuum chamber.
The diffusion process applied in a diffusion pump entails a high energy consumption. First, the propellant must be set to a high temperature for boiling and/or evaporating purposes. This is usually effected with the aid of electric heat energy. However, the propellant vapor must be condensed again. For this purpose, the introduced heat must be dissipated again. Dissipated heat is lost energy which is withdrawn from the overall process.
Further, the diffusion process of known diffusion pumps is performed in an unregulated manner, i. e. the heating element heats the propellant to a preset (temperature) value. This preset temperature is then kept constant. Further, the preset temperature need not meet any higher requirements with the exception that it must be ensured that the propellant evaporates and the propellant is not thermally decomposed. Further, the known diffusion pump is cooled in an unregulated manner such that maximum cooling is selected. In the case of an unregulated heating element thermal heat that is not required must be dissipated via increased cooling.
Thus known diffusion pumps are energy-inefficient and are characterized by an unnecessarily high energy consumption.
It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a diffusion pump wherein the energy consumption is reduced.